Lonnie Walker IV believes the Nets' bench is one of the best in the league

The bench continues to be a big reason behind the Nets’ success.

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The Brooklyn Nets have faced plenty of issues this season, but the bench has been a bright spot. Every player on the bench has a good role, and they have been superb for Coach Jacque Vaughn.

Lonnie Walker IV is one of the standouts of the Nets’ bench. He is a reliable scorer who can dominate the game by scoring points in bunches. Alongside Lonnie is Dennis Smith Jr., a standout defender who is a perfect fit for Coach JV’s preferred playstyle. However, the biggest star is Cameron Thomas, after he moved away from the starting group.

A couple of BUCKETS pic.twitter.com/7FCwzq4G6H

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 20, 2024

“I think collectively and individually, we kinda know what we gotta do, as far as the second-unit bench,” Walker said after the win over his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers. “It’s just to rally up the energy, pick it up, and take it to a whole ‘nother level. Consistently do that. I think that’s something that we’ve been doing night in and night out. I don't think there's really a bench team that's outworking us.”

Thomas’ return has made the bench more dynamic

Before Thomas went to the bench, the Nets’ backups were mostly hustle players. DSJ is the most energetic guy, and Day’Ron Sharpe, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Royce O’Neale know their roles as energizers. They have to defend, rebound, and shoot the ball when they’re open.

Cam adds a new dimension to Brooklyn, as there is always a prolific scorer on the floor. It’s not just Walker being the sole scoring threat anymore because the former LSU Tiger is reliable with his shot-creating. The big win against the Lakers proves that the new bench unit can work with the energy the backups provide.

Vaughn can always rely on his backups

This reliability makes Brooklyn such a deep team that’s hard to beat. The Nets have played multiple competitive games but lack in late-game execution. Thankfully, Coach JV can leave some bench players in the game when they’re having a good performance.

DSJ has been the go-to option recently because he provides elite defense and good playmaking to pair with Cam and Mikal Bridges, who slot in as the go-to guys. Vaughn should dig deeper into his bench to find the right lineup from game to game, as the bench players are working hard to help Brooklyn win.

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